Load sensor, method of detecting load and pedestrian protection system
First Claim
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1. A load sensor comprising:
- first means for providing an output signal that draws a non-linear input load curve with a change in magnitude of a shock caused by a hit on an object;
second means including a plurality of amplifiers having respective prescribed gains and being connected with said first means to provide respective linear functions, whereby each of the linear functions corresponds to a portion of the input load curve at a prescribed gain and together with the other linear functions forms an approximation of the input load curve; and
third means for converting the linear functions to digital data.
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Abstract
A load sensor includes a optical fiber sensor that provides output analog signals in response to shocks of various magnitudes caused by hits by a vehicle on various objects, two or more amplifiers each of which approximates a non linear function of the analog signals and a unit that converts the linear functions into digital data. Therefore, each analog signal either in a lower magnitude range or a higher magnitude range can be amplified by one of the amplifiers that has a more suitable gain, so that the magnitude of the shock can be accurately converted into digital data for a pedestrian protection airbag system.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A load sensor comprising:
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first means for providing an output signal that draws a non-linear input load curve with a change in magnitude of a shock caused by a hit on an object; second means including a plurality of amplifiers having respective prescribed gains and being connected with said first means to provide respective linear functions, whereby each of the linear functions corresponds to a portion of the input load curve at a prescribed gain and together with the other linear functions forms an approximation of the input load curve; and third means for converting the linear functions to digital data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A pedestrian protection system comprising:
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a load sensor including first means for providing an output signal that draws an input load curve with change in magnitude of a shock caused by a hit on an object, second means having a plurality of amplifiers having respective prescribed gains and connected with said first means to provide respective linear functions each corresponding to a portion of the input load curve at a prescribed gain thereby approximating the input load curve, and third means for providing digital data that corresponds to the linear functions; an object examining unit for providing an output signal when discriminating a pedestrian according to the digital data; and an air bag control unit for providing an airbag operating signal when receiving the output signal from said object examining unit. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of detecting a load caused by hitting an object comprising:
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providing an output analog signal that draws an input load curve with a change in magnitude in response to various shocks caused by object hits; dividing the input load curve into a plurality of linear portions; amplifying each of the linear portions at a gain specific to each of the linear portions to approximate the input load curve; and separately converting to digital data each of the amplified linear portions for subsequent digital processing.
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Specification